Quick Answer
The answer is the **show asp drop** command, because it directly reveals the specific reason packets are being dropped by the Cisco ASA’s Accelerated Security Path (ASP), including whether the drop is due to an ACL or an inspection policy. The ASP is the fast-path engine that processes traffic after initial connection setup, and this command provides a per-cause counter for every drop type—such as “acl-drop” for ACL violations or “inspect-drop” for policy failures—allowing you to pinpoint the exact source of the issue. On the Cisco SCOR / CCNP Security Core 350-701 exam, this question tests your ability to differentiate between Layer 3/4 ACL drops and deeper application-layer inspection drops, a common trap where candidates mistakenly reach for “show access-list” or “capture” instead. Remember that “show asp drop” is your single-pane-of-glass for drop reasons, while “show access-list” only shows hit counts, not why a packet was ultimately discarded. Memory tip: **ASP = All Stop Points**—every place the ASA says “no” is logged here.
This 350-701 practice question tests your understanding of security concepts. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
An engineer is troubleshooting a Cisco ASA firewall and notices that traffic from a specific subnet is being dropped. The engineer wants to verify if the drop is due to an access control list (ACL) or an inspection policy. Which command should be used to see the reason for packet drops?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "which command"
Why it matters: Tests specific CLI syntax. Recall the exact command and its required context — near-synonyms and partial matches are common distractors.
show access-list
Why wrong: Shows ACL hit counts but not drop reasons.
show asp drop
Displays packet drop counters with reasons, including ACL and inspection drops.
show conn
Why wrong: Shows active connections, not drop reasons.
show service-policy
Why wrong: Shows inspection policy statistics but not specific drop reasons.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
show asp drop
The 'show asp drop' command displays packet drop statistics from the Accelerated Security Path (ASP) on a Cisco ASA. It provides a detailed breakdown of why packets are dropped, including drops due to ACLs, inspection policies, or other security checks. This makes it the correct tool to differentiate between ACL and inspection policy drops.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
show access-list
Why it's wrong here
Shows ACL hit counts but not drop reasons.
show asp drop
Why this is correct
Displays packet drop counters with reasons, including ACL and inspection drops.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "which command" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
show conn
Why it's wrong here
Shows active connections, not drop reasons.
show service-policy
Why it's wrong here
Shows inspection policy statistics but not specific drop reasons.
Common exam traps
Cisco often tests the distinction between commands that show configuration or active connections versus commands that show drop reasons, leading candidates to mistakenly choose 'show access-list' or 'show service-policy' because they think hit counts or policy statistics will reveal the drop cause.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
Shows ACL hit counts but not drop reasons.
Detailed technical explanation
The Cisco ASA uses a dual-path architecture: the Accelerated Security Path (ASP) for fast forwarding and the Control Point Path for complex processing. The 'show asp drop' command queries the ASP drop statistics, which include counters for drops due to ACL deny, TCP intercept, application inspection failures, and resource exhaustion. In a real-world scenario, if traffic is silently dropped, this command can reveal a 'flow-limit' drop due to exceeding the maximum connections, which would not be visible in ACL or service-policy statistics alone.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
What to study next
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Security Concepts — study guide chapter
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Security Concepts practice questions
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Cisco SCOR / CCNP Security Core 350-701 study guide
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FAQ
Security Concepts — This question tests Security Concepts — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: show asp drop — The 'show asp drop' command displays packet drop statistics from the Accelerated Security Path (ASP) on a Cisco ASA. It provides a detailed breakdown of why packets are dropped, including drops due to ACLs, inspection policies, or other security checks. This makes it the correct tool to differentiate between ACL and inspection policy drops.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Yes — watch for: "which command". Tests specific CLI syntax. Recall the exact command and its required context — near-synonyms and partial matches are common distractors.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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